What breed of horse did they use...

[preppy*hippie*chick]

Preppy*hippie*chic ~ I showed Saddle Seat back in the 60s [gosh that may date me lol] on a Saddlebred/ Morgan cross. Do you still show? Loved the pictures of Ruby.... she's a pretty one

Sadly, no. I lease the one I still have to the lady I worked for. I find it too hard to even go to shows anymore - I get too upset. I love being there, but when I have to go back to my half acre I just can't stand it. Crying jags & the whole bit. Horses were my life and I thought they always would be. Now I'm getting too old. *sigh*​

 

[Pumpkinpup]

Most folks used a mule because they did not eat nearly as much as a horse and were hardier. Others used oxen because in hard times they could be used as food.

 

[silverlining]

Quote:
Nope, just drafts and halfblood draft crosses, and only when galloped and jumped a bunch. They just don't have the bone and feet to support the extra weight and stresses involved (I know they usually have *apparently*-substantial legs, but it is just not sufficient for the extra body mass involved, not when that mass is repeatedly landing from jumps and pounding hard ground at a gallop).

The barn where I grew up riding (hunters, both show- and field-) got into importing heavy Irish hunters for a while, this was a few decades ago. Apparently it was unusual to have a heavy Irish hunter still functional past age 7 or so back in the home country, and frankly they did not do much better on this side of the Atlantic either. Which has also been my experience with drafts used for eventing. Fun and safe, but slowish and not highly durable.

They can stay quite sound for a long working life if used for what they are better-designed for, though.

JME,

Pat

thats quite interesting! I didn't know that

I haven't know anyone personally with a draft as an event horse. Makes sense though. They weren't exactly bred to heft their mass up and jar it down repeatedly. My mare is 1/2 Hano, 1/4 Quarter, 1/8 Thoroughbred, and 1/8 Clydsdale. Big girl, but better suited for jumping than she would be if she had a greater percentage of heavy horse.

And I know of manyyyy fox hunters with all different breeds of lame horses. I certainly don't think all fox hunters are bad people, but some of them do ride VERYYY hard, and in my own experience (which is limited) they haven't taken very good care of their horses legs

 

[silverlining]

Quote:
You usually only have the leg problems in horses that were started too young. Drafts mature at a slower rate. You cannot judge a horse's legs by size alone. If you have a well put together cross, they will be sound for many years if the trainers are smart enough to be patient and wait. Nobody on their back until they are 3. No difficult maneuvers until they are 4. No higher jumps until 5 or 6. Then you can get a lot of years out of them. BTW, my husband rides a 7 year old draft cross, and I can assure you of his absolute soundness.

I agree, they can be among some of the soundest horses I have seen as long as they are used sensibly. They were never meant to jump really high of gallop really fast though, although they can certainly do it in moderation. A lot of things always come down to the individual horse too.

 

[blueoval1]

Mules

 

[luvarabhorses]

Arabians!
Some of my loves:

 

[silverlining]

Quote:
Absolutely STUNNING pics

 

[luvarabhorses]

Thanks Silver Lining,
the grey mare, Rosebud, is very cautious, and that is why that picture is funny. She walked up and down the bank several times before deciding the safest place to cross.
Here are some more:

My man, 20 yr Nonsuch Padron (Padron x Nonsuch Nataska)
halter, liberty, endurance, competitive trail, parades, - all star!

Bonnebelle Padron 8 yrs (Nonsuch Padron x Late Tuesday- by KF Premier)
hunter jumper, trail, halter, lessons

Salons Tara (Nazir Salon x Muscatara - by Muscat) 19 yrs
halter, liberty, western games, lead trail, kids camp, hunter, great brood mare! really, really fun too

 

[luvarabhorses]

I went back and read all of the posts thus far so I would be up to speed. Here are some comments I would like to add, prepare to be bored or roll your eyes.

Napoleon rode an Arabian- Mariah, lots of pics (like in the Louvre) When he went into Russia, most all of his horses and many of his men died and the only horses he had left were his Arabs.

George Washington rode an Arab

General Grant rode an Arab named Traveller

There is an interesting display in Lexington, KY in the horse museum. It has a Bedouin warrior in full regalia battling a knight in armor on a Friesan type. It explains that the light , quick Arab ran circles around the knights while carrying a heavy rider. The knights were slaughtered.

Teddy Roosevelt sent Homer Davenport to the desert to bring back pure Arabians for war. He fell in love with the breed and said, "When God made the Arabian, he made no mistake."

The first Morgan, Figure, by many, many accounts was heavy in Arabian blood.

Percherons were developed directly from Arabians (as was, of course, the Thoroughbred).

There have been a lot of people mess up this breed but when you get a good one, they are really wonderful, caring horses that take care of their riders.

 

[la dee da]

Cool!